The White Wayfinder
by AwesomeMeach
Summary: Aqua has been locked away in Darkness for almost ten years now. Meanwhile, Roxas has been serving the Organization for almost half a year. Two people who were never meant to meet come together, only to experience tragedy and hardships between them, thanks to the help of the Organization.
1. It Began In Darkness

**Author's Note: This is my first Fanfic ever! I've had this idea cultivating in my head for a couple months so I think I've ironed out all of the details of it. I came up with this based on one question: What if Aqua met Roxas? Sorry if it seems a little choppy, or watered down, I'm not entirely used to writing both descriptive and narrative, so enjoy!**

 **The White Wayfinder**

 _Chapter I_

It Began In Darkness

The blue haired girl was lying on her back in the cold, moist sand. She was staring up into the black abyss-like sky with heavy eyelids. The black water alternated between nipping at her gray and silver boots, and receding back into the endless black ocean, but she didn't mind. In fact, she didn't even notice it.

This was most of her life in the recent years. Either she was fighting the black creatures that rose from the gray, lifeless earth, or she was sleeping at the equally lifeless beach that had black boulders scattered around it. Her sense of time was distorted in this bleak land. She didn't know if it was day or night because both of these were absent, and they were replaced with an empty black sky. She did know that it has been a long time since she saw any form of light- or her friends.

The girl's deep blue eyes began to get heavy. "Hopefully I'll get more than just a few minutes of sleep…" She commented to herself. She closed her eyes, and slowly drifted off into a light sleep.

Even if she's in a grim environment, she still had the happiest dreams anyone could have. Her dreams were mostly of the realm she belonged in. Instead of a pitch black sky, it had a light blue sky with white clouds and a vibrant sun keeping the worlds warm. Sure, the sun does set, but the light of other worlds dot the sky and the gentle light of the moon lights the way for each and every one.

Her friends occupy most of her thoughts even when she's awake. She dreams of a tall man with chestnut hair and blue eyes. His gray shirt has two red leather straps crossing his chest. His black belt circled around his waist with his loose tan pants reaching all the way down to his black and gold boots. She often dreams of a blond boy as well. He almost always smiled and had big, deep blue eyes. His hair was spiked in the front and swept slightly over to the right side of him, while the rest of his hair was relatively flat. He wore a jacket where half of it was black, and the other white. Like the other man, two black leather straps crossed his chest. The upper part of his pants was black while the rest was a light beige color. His shoes were mostly different colors of grey, with golden cuffs around his ankles.

The sound of sand being crushed underneath someone's shoes was silent to her, as she was preoccupied with her dreams. The presence with her wore nothing but black. The figure wore a black coat that descended to his ankles, and the coat's hood hid his face. He had black shoes, black gloves, and loose fitting black pants. He could blend in seamlessly with this decrepit realm, and no one would know he was there. At first, he wasn't aware of the girl's presence, but as he walked closer to the shore he noticed her lying peacefully in the sand.

"Who are you?" The figure asked. The girl groaned as she was awoken by his voice. She slowly opened her heavy eyelids to be greeted by this figure looming over her. She yelped in surprise as she sat up straight. After that, she got to her feet and summoned her old master's Keyblade and pointed it towards the mysterious figure. The figure took a step back and held up his hands to show he was harmless "Hey, hey, hey! Calm down! I'm not gonna hurt you!"

The girl recollected herself and breathed a sigh of relief. "Sorry," she said as she lowered her Keyblade to her side "I've been here too long. I thought you were one of those… things." The figure raised an unseen eyebrow "You mean the Heartless?"

"So those are the Heartless." She said to herself. She read almost every theory and report on the Heartless, but she never thought she would actually encounter one. "That's what happens when you step into the darkness. You go in whole, but come out… divided." The figure added

The girl finally dismissed her Keyblade. "I see…" She said lost in her thoughts. "What's your name?" The figure asked, bringing the girl back from her thoughts. She stared in the shadows of his hood trying to locate his eyes "Aqua." She said.

"Aqua…" the figure repeated as he hung on to that one word that felt so familiar to him. He held out his gloved hand "I'm… Roxas." Aqua greeted his hand with hers. The instant their hands touched, a flood of sadness enveloped her. Was she supposed to know him? Did she see him before?

Refusing to shed tears in front of a complete stranger, Aqua held them and quickly let go of Roxas's hand. "Nice to meet you." She whispered quietly. Roxas could see, and feel Aqua's mood change drastically, but he didn't want to prod at it so he shrugged it off. Besides, he's felt the same way before.

"Why are you here, alone in the Realm of Darkness?" Roxas asked. Aqua looked up from the ground she was staring at intently "I had to save my friend. I didn't want him going any further into the darkness." She answered with a sad tone to her voice. Roxas glanced down at his hand " _Friend…_ " He repeated inside his head.

"How did you get here?" Aqua asked, deliberately changing the subject. Roxas looked up at her with his hidden eyes "I used a Corridor of Darkness," he explained "I _was_ supposed to be here for a mission but…" Roxas looked into Aqua's eyes. They were full of sadness, but she probably wasn't aware of it. Dark circles were formed under them. Other than the sadness they looked almost… lifeless. "…You seem more important."

A grin formed on Aqua's face but she quickly caught herself "Oh no, you don't need to trouble yourself with me." She said as she held her hands up in denial. Before Aqua could convince Roxas any further, Roxas turned away from her and held his arm out in front of him with his palm lifted.

A portal with churning colors of dark violet, blue, and black formed in front of Roxas. He turned towards Aqua "Come on!" He persuaded. At first, Aqua was hesitant. No one would just voluntarily walk into a portal that looks like it would just lead someone further into the darkness. Roxas gestured to her as he walked into the portal. Without many options, Aqua followed him into the portal.

After Aqua stepped out of the portal, she thought she was blinded. She closed her eyes so her eyes could adjust easier to it. After what seemed like minutes to her, she shaded her eyes with her arm. She was greeted with an orange sky with a large red sun that was about to set. For once, in several years she actually felt warm and a feeling she hasn't experienced in a long, long time… happiness. "What is this place?" Aqua asked, finally releasing her excitement.

Roxas wasn't paying much attention to Aqua a couple minutes ago, but he realized that life returned to Aqua's face. He answered her with an unseen smile on his face "Twilight Town."

Aqua practically skipped over to the railing on the other side of the large stone covered plaza to be shown a large city was underneath them. She could see trains arriving and leaving the train station behind them. The trains glided along the rails that were set just above the reach of the roofs of the city's buildings. "We're in the Realm of Light, aren't we?" She asked Roxas. He just shrugged his shoulders "It's as close as we're going to get."

While Aqua was marveling at her change in scenery, Roxas was studying her eyes. Even though she was happy at the moment, it looked like sadness still had a firm grip on her. " _I wonder how long she was in the Realm of Darkness. I've never seen anyone this happy to see the sun._ " Roxas thought to himself. Then a big, yet sad grin crossed his mouth " _Well… at least she's happy._ "

Roxas took a few steps back and began to the exit of the plaza. It took Aqua a few minutes after he left to realize he was gone. She managed to suppress her excitement and go after Roxas. Luckily, he didn't get far; he was still going down the shallow slope just before the plaza. "Hey, Roxas! Where are you going?" She called after him. He stopped at the bottom of the slope and looked over his shoulder "Sorry. I need to go, ya'know? I'm… kinda busy."

"Oh…" she said as she stopped mid-way down the slope. Her shoulders noticeably fell in disappointment. Roxas could tell from where he stood that he upset her. "Don't worry," He said trying to lift her spirits "you'll just need to wait a while, because I don't know when I'll be able to come back." Aqua nodded and gave Roxas a small grin "Alright. Where are you going to be at?"

Roxas pointed to the top of the clock tower that stood above the train station and the rest of the town "Up there. I'll be waiting on the top of the clock tower." Aqua gave Roxas another grin "Okay! See you soon." An unseen smile formed on Roxas's face "Yeah. See you soon" He said as a darkness that sprang up from the ground enveloped him. Soon, he was gone.

 **Again, sorry if it seems a little choppy or rushed. Make sure to give a review, and I'll have another chapter out as soon as I can!**


	2. others From The Dark

**Author's Note: This chapter is a little slow, but I think it'll pick up the pace soon enough.**

 **I don't own Kingdom Hearts**

 **The White Wayfinder**

 _Chapter II_

Others From the Dark

Aqua was left to her own devices. Out of curiosity, and a newly found sense of exploration, she explored the sprawling city around her. She found it to be much more overwhelming than she originally pictured. She continued down the sloped street and ended up in a large marketplace with a small tram that circled around several buildings in the area.

She kept exploring the town with wandering eyes. She ended up finding herself in a huge, empty lot with small dunes of sand was lying motionless on top of the orange brick that paved the ground. Blue batons with golden yellow handles were bundled in the corner, and covered with a thin layer of sand. In the corner opposite to the batons was some kind of weathered message board that read 'STRUGGLE'.

Most of the streets Aqua walked on were either sloped or curved; it was rare if she found a straight road. There were plenty of houses, but the town was quiet and not very active. Even though many train tracks were placed of the buildings, the trains on them never made a sound when they passed over her.

Aqua wandered the town for what seemed like hours, but the sun was still in its original place still giving off its golden glow. The tower that stood over the city _did_ have a clock, but it never actually moved. _I guess the town's name is Twilight Town for a reason_ Aqua thought to herself. She didn't mind the sun's rays too much though, she didn't was to feel the cold that she's been feeling for almost ten years.

She managed to find her way back into Twilight Town's marketplace, but this time she noticed a large fissure in the city's wall. How did she not notice something as big as that? As she approached it she couldn't help but get this ominous vibe from it. Despite this sudden fear, she delved into the dark crevice.

Aqua wasn't fully aware that she went into the fissure, but when she snapped back into reality she was greeted by a dark, expansive forest. The branches from the trees formed a natural canopy in the sky, blocking out most of the sun's rays. The grass felt lifeless underneath her boots but it still had a healthy green color. Aqua felt like she was back in the Realm of Darkness, but she pushed these unsavory thoughts out of her head as her body began to move forward. She wanted to go back into the city, but the forests had some feeling of importance to her, along with an unhealthy dose of fear. She aimlessly wandered through the forest. The sounds of rustling leaves and snapping twigs kept her on edge and her heart was racing faster than it ever has. _It's just some sort of animal…_ Aqua repeated in her head. She looked ahead and saw what looked like a wall of light. Aqua hurried over to this strange light so she could regain her composure.

After she made it to the light, Aqua's eyes adjusted to reveal a grassy clearing. On the other side of it was a wall made of large orange colored bricks and it was wearing a canopy of ivy and vines. A gate with a huge lock was at the wall's center. This gate had multiple chains wrapping around the bars of it. Someone really didn't want people getting inside. Past the wall was an old, run-down mansion. No one could possibly be living in there. There were several holes in the roof and some of the windows were broken.

Despite the strange surroundings, Aqua felt completely relaxed. A small feeling of uncertainty and confusion had a small grasp on her but she didn't really care. What she did care about though, was how tired she suddenly got. "I'll sleep… for just a few minutes" she mumbled to herself. So, she sat down in front of the wall and leaned her back against it. She shut her eyes as sleep quickly took her over.

As she peacefully slept, she didn't have the same dreams as she usually did. Instead, a dark city was presented to her. As far as she could tell, no people lived in this city, but Heartless were around every corner. There was a massive skyscraper with equally large monitors on top of it that stood above the city. In front of it was a black figure who wore the same coat as Roxas did. Was that actually him? After a few moments, a taller figure wearing the same cloak approached the smaller one. It looked like they started a conversation with each other. It probably wasn't a very pleasant one, as the smaller figure began to shake his head like he was denying the other. The figure quickly stopped this, and dropped his shoulders in defeat. The small figure quickly walked away from the skyscraper, leaving the taller one alone.

Aqua slowly began to wake up from her strange dream. She saw someone watching her from the other side of the clearing through her half-lidded eyes. She began to rub her eyes with her hands so she could see clearly "Roxas?" Aqua mumbled.

"No." The figure said in his deep voice. Aqua shot out from her stupor from sleep and got to her feet. "Who are you?" She asked on full alert. The man snickered and began to approach Aqua "That is of no importance to you." He stated. Aqua instinctively summoned her Keyblade "What do you want from me?" she asked. The man snickered again "I merely wanted to see if what I heard was true. I'm not disappointed."

The man was now in reaching distance of Aqua, but instead of doing anything, he just glared at her with his unseen eyes. "How long has it been?" He asked in a slightly softer tone. Aqua gave the man a confused look "What? Who _are_ you?" She asked again. She began to raise her arm in front of her in defense, but the man quickly grabbed her wrist.

It was like meeting Roxas all over again. Sadness pierced her hear, along with another strong, unforgettable emotion: Rage. She was overwhelmed by these mixed feelings and tried to shake the man off, but his grip was strong as steel. Aqua's eyes began to get moist with tears as she tried to get a good look at her enemy. All that she could make out was his tan square like chin.

He let go of Aqua and began to walk into the forest where a black portal was waiting for him. Aqua wiped away the few tears that managed to escape the captivity of her eyes. Her sadness quickly turned into an unending hatred. She charged after the figure, getting ready to strike. She raised her Keyblade over her head and forced it towards him with as much force as she could. The man quickly dodged her attack by lunging forwards towards the portal. He chuckled as he stood in front of the portals entrance "Foolish girl. Never attack something you don't truly understand." With that remark, he stepped into the portal and vanished.

Aqua was alone again. She dismissed her Keyblade and stood in the clearing silently. She let the tears she was holding back roll down her cheeks since a feeling of pure sadness still lingered in her heart. Did she know him? Should she have even been angry towards him?

She tried to hide the sadness once more as she began the slow walk back into Twilight Town. That mansion really was strange. She could have sworn that she saw someone in one of the windows.

Aqua finally wandered her way back into Twilight Town. She stopped crying a while ago, but her eyes were still noticeably red. She tried to match the strange man's build to all of the other people she could think of. "Wait… Could he have been? No, no, no, he couldn't be… Then… Who was he?" She thought to herself. She decided to try to drop the encounter entirely.

Aqua made it back to the stone clearing in front of the train station. She was admiring the view as a voice cut through the silent air. "Aqua!" the voice said. Aqua looked towards the source to see Roxas sitting above the tower's motionless clock. Aqua waved to him with a smile on her face and made her way into the train station to climb the countless stairs to the top of the tower.

She rounded the corner of the roof to see Roxas staring contently towards the stagnant sunset. In his hands he had three popsicles with a light blue color. Aqua sat on the ledge on Roxas's left side. He held out on of the popsicles to Aqua as an offer. "What's this?' She asked while accepting his offer. "Sea-salt ice cream," He answered, "I come up here almost every day after I'm done with my missions. The others should be here… Hopefully."

With Roxas's free hand he finally removed his hood and let out a brief sigh. As he was enjoying the ice cream meant for him, Aqua was studying his face in a sneaky manner. His blond hair was spiked in the front and it was swept over slightly to the right. The rest of his hair was relatively smooth and flat. His face was slightly round and had a pointed chin. His eyes were large and had a deep blue color to them. That face was so familiar to Aqua, but she couldn't quite remember who who's face it was.

Roxas took a bite out of his ice cream and glanced over at Aqua. "C'mon, eat your ice cream, it's gonna melt." He said. Aqua quickly looked away thinking that Roxas caught her staring at him. "Oh… Right." She said. Aqua took a small bite from the corner of her ice cream and let it melt in her mouth. "It's salty… But it's sweet too." Roxas smirked at her comment "Yeah, I said that when I first tasted it."

Aqua began to study his face again. Although he was smiling, his eyes didn't lie to her. They seemed to have a form of sadness lurking in them. _He's such a sad boy_ Aqua thought.

"Yo Roxas." Both Roxas and Aqua turned to see a man with fire red hair that was spiked and slicked back a little. He wore the same coat as Roxas, but it seemed to hug his form tighter that Roxas's. His emerald eyes studied Aqua unsurely as leaned on the wall. Roxas tried to break the sense of tension in the air. "You're late again, Axel."

Axel waved it off as he walked past Roxas and sat on his right side. "You know how my missions are," Axel said as he took the ice cream Roxas offered "long and really, really tedious."

All three of them continued to eat their ice cream while talking and laughing. The tension between Alex and Aqua seemed to melt away like it never happened. Roxas's smile slowly drifted. "You think she'll be here?" Roxas asked while staring at the ground below them. Axel's smile formed into a frown. "I'm not sure…" he looked away to hid his face of guilt from the others. Aqua wanted to know who they were talking about, but avoided asking since both of them seemed to be affected by the previous question.

Their moods quickly picked back up and began to talk to each other like nothing happened. The three of them finished their ice cream and left with thin wooden sticks. "Well," Axel said while getting to his feet "I better check in with the boss. Don't want to get in trouble now, do we?" He patted Roxas on the shoulder and left the tower.

'I better get going too." Roxas said. "I don't know when I'll be back." Roxas stood up and looked towards the horizon. "I'll wait." Aqua said cheerfully. He began to walk towards the door that led into the tower. "See ya later."

Aqua was alone again. This time felt different though, she didn't feel lonely. Instead she felt an emotion that she hasn't felt for a long time… Happy.


	3. The White Wayfinder

**Author's Note: Aqua is really having a bad time isn't she?**

 **I don't own Kingdom Hearts**

 **The White Wayfinder**

 _Chapter III_

The White Wayfinder

Aqua has explored nearly the entire city, except for the numbered tunnels that made a tight network underneath the entire town. She almost got lost in them a few times, but signs all around the tunnels guided her through them. Metal grates covered most of the ground allowing water to flow into them and out of the sight of anyone who wanted to walk through these questionable tunnels. Brown pipes traveled along most of the walls; no doubt that it was probably the city's plumbing system. The air was humid and had a smell to it that made Aqua slightly nauseous.

After walking through these disorienting tunnels for what seemed like hours she found an exit to the outside world again. Although the exit she went out of wasn't the one she entered through. A surge of salty humid air greeted her as she left the tunnels. She was at the beach. White sand extended along the coast and the deep blue of the ocean invited her to come closer to the shore. Several people were lounging about the shore while kids splashed each other in the ocean.

As Aqua accepted the ocean's silent invitation by walking towards the shoreline, she heard a small scrape underneath her boot. She lifted her leg to reveal a white seashell half buried in the dry sand. Aqua picked it up carefully so no more damage would come to it. The seashell was slightly curved and symmetrical. It almost seemed to glow from the sun's rays bouncing off from the smooth surface. A grin formed on Aqua's face, as she knew what she had to do.

Aqua began to comb the shoreline in search of other shells identical to the one in her hand. Hours of dedication and determination later, she held five shells in her hand, which were the same in almost every aspect. From her pocket, she pulled out a blue star. She remembered the day she made these wayfinders for her friends back in the land she came from. Unfortunately days like that were long gone for her.

Aqua sat down at the shore, but far enough away from the ocean so it barely touched her feet. She began to bind the shells together, it's been a while since she made one of these, but she still has the basics of it memorized. A lot of trial and error later, she finally did it. She bound the shells together so they had no chance of unwinding themselves. Aqua put her wayfinder and the shells in her pocket and gathered her thoughts while staring at the blue ocean.

Her experience sure has been a rollercoaster of emotions. A lingering sense of familiarity and sadness always seemed to follow her. Roxas looked like he was the same way. He could only trust Axel, like he was Roxas's only friend; well, him and the other one that Aqua doesn't really know. When they talked about that girl it only brought more sadness into their hearts. Oh, only if Aqua knew the truth about them…

Aqua returned to her reality and realized the shoreline was receding. She stood up so she wouldn't be swallowed by the upcoming tide. Aqua decided to take her leave from the beach and back into the dimly lit tunnels. This time around Aqua was suddenly tense and uneasy. It felt like something was lurking around every corner. Unfortunately for her, there was someone around at least one of them.

"You know, you should really be more careful. Anything could happen to a girl like you." An unseen man said. Aqua stopped in her tracks and looked for the source of the threat. A figure was leaning against the wall of the tunnel behind her. The only feature she cared about was his black coat. Anyone with one of those coats on, as long as it wasn't Roxas or Axel meant trouble. Aqua immediately summoned her Keyblade and pointed it towards the hooded man.

"Who are you?" Aqua said in a stern voice. The man stood up so the wall wasn't supporting his weight. "I'm nobody important. Or I should say nothing, shouldn't I?" he said in a sarcastic tone. He began walk over to Aqua, ignoring her threat of her Keyblade. "C'mon, you're this worked up over a Nobody like me? I should be flattered, but-" Aqua quickly interrupted the man with an aggressive tone "Are here to kill me?" She asked. The man began to chuckle to himself. "Kill you? As if! Not only would that be going against the boss's orders, but we already know who the stronger one is, and it certainly isn't me."

Aqua lowered her Keyblade slightly in confusion, but she quickly brought it back to its former position, aimed at the man's face "What do you mean?" Aqua asked. "Man, do I really have to spell it out for you?" The man commented "What is with you Keyblade wielders and forgetting things?" The man placed his hands around the hem of his hood "Maybe this will jog your memory."

The man removed his hood and let it drape his shoulders. His hair was long and gathered into a ponytail that extended to the middle of his back. His hair had long streaks of silver in it contrasting from is dark hair. He had an eyepatch covering one of his eyes while the other was undamaged and was golden in color. His ears were slightly pointed and his eyebrows were upturned. "It's me! Y'know, Xigbar!"

Aqua didn't recognize the name, but she did remember his face. She first saw that face when everything truly fell apart ten years ago. Rage coursed through Aqua as she began to attack Xigbar. He chose not to fight back, so he simply jumped back to the far side of the tunnel. "Tell me!" Aqua demanded "Tell me who your boss is!" Xigbar simply place his hands on his hips and leaned forwards "Pfft. Wouldn't you like to know! Well you _have_ known him three times now. They're all completely different, if you think about. Man, that old coot really is ruthless." He said. Xigbar stood up straight again and snickered. "Well, looks like my job here is done." A black portal opened behind him. "Be a good girl now!" he said as he backed up into the portal.

Aqua mulled over what Xigbar even meant by that. Three times? As far as she knows, she's never even seen him let alone knows him. The anger Aqua felt slowly vanished but she was still confused about that whole ordeal. She began to navigate herself through the tunnels again, but she didn't dismiss her Keyblade until she was safely outside.

Once she was outside in the large marketplace where she could tell every detail of it like the back of her hand, she began to make her way to the clock tower. She saw Roxas walking ahead of her when she made it to the base of the large sloped road. "Roxas!" She called out. He turned around and waited for Aqua to catch up to him before they began to walk up the hill again. They sat at their usual spots on the clock tower watching the sun, and eating ice cream as usual.

"Hey, Roxas." Aqua said to get Roxas's attention. "Yeah?" he asked in response. "I made something for you." Aqua said with a smile. Roxas was caught off guard by what she said and looked over at her with wide eyes "Y-you did?" He asked. Aqua nodded and took out the shells she bound together from earlier and put them in Roxas's hand.

He held the shells in his hand in bewilderment. The shells were arranged like a star and bound together by pieces of thin string. Unlike the ones Aqua previously made, this one didn't have the silver heart in the middle. Instead there was an X made of worn leather. "It's a Wayfinder," Aqua explained "They represent an unbreakable connection. So, as long as you have it we'll always be able to find our way back to each other."

Roxas tightened his grip on the Wayfinder as a smile slowly grew on his face "Thank you… Aqua." He said in a hushed tone. Aqua smiled back at him "You're welcome Roxas."

While these events were happening between Aqua and Roxas, in a world that wasn't so far away, a gathering was happening. In the large white room stood thirteen chairs, each of them were different heights. They were arranged in a circle formation around one circular platform that had a certain symbol carved into it. On these thirteen chairs, only four were filled at the moment. Two of them had revealed identities with Xigbar and Axel filling them. The other two were unknown; one was filling the tallest seat and the other was a few seats to the left of the other.

"I did what you asked." Xigbar said looking up to the figure in the tallest chair. "Man I'll tell ya, she certainly didn't forget me." He said followed by a chuckle. The figure nodded towards Xigbar "Good. Her memory has finally returned to her." He said. "But that still means she only knows Xigbar, Roxas and me." Axel commented. The figure nodded again "In due time all her feelings of sadness, guilt, and anger will rush back to her showing her true nature." He said. "I don't understand," The other unknown figure said in his monotone voice "If you want her Nobody that will be an easy achievement. The Darkness has already leeched its way into her heart of light." The figure in the taller chair held up his hand in disagreement. "That is out of the question. The goal is to only revive the memory which is fading from her." The other figure nodded and sat back in defeat. "I will go once more," the figure said "And maybe then, she will recall her pained past."


	4. Revealed Truths

**A/N: I wasn't going to publish this chapter so early but I couldn't help it!**

 **I don't own Kingdom Hearts**

 **The White Wayfinder**

 _Chapter IV_

Revealed Truths

It's been a week since Roxas relieved Aqua of the dark burden she's been carrying for ten years. That is, if time actually flowed in this world. Since then she's been in Twilight Town, reveling in the warmth of the sun. Of course, not all of it has been pleasant. She encountered multiple people with black coats the first few 'days' of her visit; One with a deep voice that gave her nothing but sadness and anger, and another who revealed himself to be named Xigbar. Other than those encounters, she hasn't seen any of them since, besides Roxas and Axel of course.

Her routine usually never changed, most of it was walking around the city and sitting on top of Twilight Town's clock tower and eating sea salt ice cream with Axel and Roxas. She slept too, but only when she couldn't keep her eyes open for much longer. She didn't want to have another visit from a hooded figure. From all of her wandering about, she made a mental map of most of the town in her head, except for the tunnels, Xigbar definitely kept her out of them.

Today was a little different. Aqua was on the side of town where she didn't usually visit. This side of town was a lot quieter than the rest of the town, and there was a clear view of the sunset from here without being on top of the clock tower. There was a small train station up a large flight of stairs which helped connect the town, but Aqua just came to this area on foot. There was a small tram that drove through the area like it did at the marketplace. There was a large path up a hill where it was flat at the top and a small version of the clock tower resided, and this is where Aqua was at.

She was leaning against the wooden fence that lines the top of the hill watching trains come and go from the small station. The strange thing was that occasionally a purple train would come and go, and she was sure no one was driving it. It was serene here, like the rest of the city. She wanted to keep admiring the beauty of her view, but her body said otherwise; she was unbelievably tired.

She trudged over to one of the benches that was across the hill, and slumped onto one. She kept herself in a sitting position and tilted her head forwards. With no hesitation, she quickly fell asleep. She was undisturbed… for the most part anyways.

Aqua slowly began to wake up, but her immediate surroundings felt different. She felt as cold as the surface she was sleeping on, which didn't feel anything like the wooden surface she was originally on. Aqua opened her eyes to see nothing but darkness. The only thing she could see was the white floor underneath her. She got to her feet and scanned her surroundings. _There's nothing but… Darkness_ she thought to herself. "You awaken at last. Good." A deep, familiar voice said.

Aqua summoned her Keyblade in a slight fear of knowing whose voice it was. A figure stepped out from the darkness in front of her, and soon after that multiple red laser-like beams formed a dome shape around them. Aqua felt a familiar vibe from him… Sadness… and rage. Instead of simply attacking the man, Aqua dropped her Keyblade to her side. She wanted answers.

"I want to know your name." Aqua said. The man nodded upon hearing this "In due time, my friend." He said. Aqua scowled at the fact he called her a 'friend'. "I'm _not_ your friend, that's for sure." She said reassuringly. The figure took a few steps towards Aqua, but she stood her ground. "I'm hurt, Aqua. Well, I would be in such a state, if only I possessed a heart." He said persuasively. Aqua raised an eyebrow at his statement. "No… heart? Then what exactly _are_ you then?" She asked confused. The man chuckled at her question "My, my. It really _has_ been that long hasn't it. I, along with many other accidental beings don't belong to light, nor darkness. Instead we teeter on edge of nothingness. We do not belong in this unforgiving world; instead we live off of it, like a parasite. The place where our hearts belong is hollow and empty, because of this, we long for a true purpose. I am what is dubbed as a Nobody, for I am truly nothing… without a heart." He explained in length.

"I am the latter of a Heartless, as they possess the heart, I possess the body. It is true we don't have hearts, the source of emotion and pain, but we remember what it feels like to own one, so we imitate their actions, hoping to deceive people to prove that we exist. Which leads me to your first question: Who am I? As per the technicalities of a Nobody, I should have no such label. So, instead of telling you, how about I just show you?" The man quickly walked up to Aqua and gripped her wrist once more. Aqua held herself back from attacking him on the spot. Voices began to surge through her head like a wave. She could only pick out two different voices: One is young and strong, while the other is old and gravely.

" _Sorry… but I need some time alone."_

" _You seem mixed up; I'm a peacekeeper, not a tyrant!"_

" _Yes, you are indeed strong. The darkness has nothing to fear."_

" _You saw the boy in the mask?"_

" _Use the Keyblade!"_

" _You've taken yet another step forward."_

" _What I do, I do for friendship."_

" _Come to the place where all Keyblade wielders make their mark on fate- The Keyblade Graveyard!"_

" _Aqua… put an end to me…"_

The figure finally let go of Aqua and he took several steps back. Aqua's head hurt. It was like someone has been squeezing it. She finally opened her eyes in realization of who this man is in front of her "T-Terra? Is that really you?" She asked on the verge of tears. Did she finally find one of her long lost friends? "I have long since abandoned that label, as well as the other. My true name is…" The man said as he removed his hood "Xemnas."

It definitely wasn't Terra's face, though it did have a lot of similarities. The enigmatic man in front of Aqua had amber-orange eyes and dark skin. His hair was a brilliant silver color and stretched down past his shoulders.

Xemnas teleported outside of the large dome of red beams "I give you my name, but this is where we say farewell." He said as he snapped his fingers. Instantly, the red beams focused on Aqua, as they sped towards her all at once, resulting in a massive explosion. The smoke cleared to reveal Aqua out of breath and inside a translucent dome that quickly shattered. "It seems like we must do this the hard way." Xemnas said. He made his hands into fists as long red beams emerged from his wrists.

Xemnas flew towards Aqua and connected one of the beams with her Keyblade. Xemnas repeated this action over and over as Aqua was slowly back stepping. Xemnas changed his actions as one of his beams collided with Aqua's side. Aqua flinched at the pain while she thrusted her Keyblade towards his stomach. He dodges her attack by leaping and hovering in the air. "Pathetic…" Xemnas taunted. Multiple red lasers appeared behind him organized into rows. One by one, they descended onto Aqua. She dodged most of them and absorbed the blow from some of them by her Keyblade. Xemnas frowned at how agile she was. He sent the last row of beams at once. Aqua knew she couldn't dodge them, so instead she put another translucent dome around her. It's successfully protected her from them, with no chance for the dome to break. Unlike the last time, the dome collected the energy from the beams, and fired it towards Xemnas.

Xemnas took the full force of the beam and he landed with a loud thud onto the floor. Aqua charge towards him and attempted to strike him with an overhead swing. Xemnas barely blocked her attack. "T-Terra…" Aqua whispered. "I am no longer addressed by that label." He said as he disrupted her poised stance leaving her open to an attack. Xemnas kicked Aqua square in the stomach as she staggered backwards. That hurt. Aqua didn't give up as she charged towards him again. Instead of blocking, Xemnas put up a translucent barrier between him and Aqua. It was too late; Aqua's attack was already in motion. Her Keyblade connected with the barrier, and it sent her flying across the room.

Aqua's Keyblade was only feet away from Xemnas. He picked up the Keyblade and thoroughly studied it. "You really did find his Keyblade. All the more reason to go to Castle Oblivion." Xemnas said. Aqua was still winded as she stood up. "I know what lies in the depths of that ancient castle, unable to awaken. I wonder why?" Xemnas said, obviously taunting Aqua. The Keyblade returned to Aqua with a brief flash of light leaving Xemnas empty handed. He smirked as he suddenly disappeared. Aqua turned around and swiped the ground, making Xemnas fall to the ground. Aqua finally caught her breath "Terra… how did you become… this?" She asked. Xemnas quickly got to his feet and held Aqua above him by her neck. "That is _not_ my name, nor is the name Xehanort. I am Xemnas." He said while he was tightening his grip on Aqua's neck "Be gone." He said. He threw Aqua to the center of the room. She tried to get back up, but to no avail; consciousness was slipping from her.

Aqua began to wake up again, but instead on a cold floor, or a wooden bench, she woke up on the dirt coated ground, which was conveniently next to the bench she dozed off on. On the other side of the familiar hill was Axel pacing back and forth. Aqua's groaning in pain alerted him. "Aqua!" He said relieved. Axel approached her and helped her up from the ground. "I came here to say that my boss is looking for you. But…" he said as he looked over Aqua "…He's already been here hasn't he?" Aqua nodded. "Yeah…" She whispered.

"Aqua!" both of them turned to see Roxas running towards them. He grinded to a halt, kicking up dirt. "I..." Roxas started out of breath. "…I heard that you were in trouble. So I came looking for you." Aqua smiled towards Roxas "I'm okay. There's nothing to worry about." She said. Roxas gave a sigh of relief "Good…" Aqua noticed that he had a leather strap around his neck. She followed the strap to see the Wayfinder she made for him sitting motionless on his chest. Roxas's smile grew "Let's go get some ice cream!" He said as he raced down the hill. "I've never seen him like that." Axel commented. He nodded towards Aqua "C'mon. He'll be waiting for us."

Aqua was brushing the dirt off of her while Axel was walking towards the hill's slope. She finally decided: That encounter with Terra was real. Her side still burned from when Xemnas struck her there. "Man," She heard Axel say. She looked over to him to see that he was rubbing the back of his head. "First all this drama with Xion, and now you. When did everything get so messed up?" He shrugged it off and proceeded down the hill. Aqua silently agreed with him. _Terra… What happened to you while I was gone?_

Hours after Axel, Roxas and Aqua had their ice cream, another gathering was happening in the same place as before. In the circle of chairs, only Axel, Xigbar, Xemnas, and the unknown figure were present. "I am pleased to say that we are nearing our goal, regarding the girl." Xemnas said. "Good. Maybe we can actually focus on things that pose a threat to the Organization." Axel commented. "Indeed. We are posed with many problems, but in due time we will be presented with the solution." Xemnas said. Xigbar chuckled "Yeah, we should get on with finding the little Poppet. I'm feeling a little empty inside without her, y'know?" He said sarcastically. Axel scowled at Xigbar, but no one seemed to notice. Xemnas nodded towards the only hooded figure in the room. "Axel has performed admirably, but I need you to keep watch on the girl." The figure nodded "Yes, Lord Xemnas." He said in his monotone voice. Xemnas sat back in his chair. "All that is left is for Roxas to uphold his part in this small… dilemma. As per now, we wait." He said as he began to dissipate into a dark column. Xigbar and the hooded figure followed suit. Axel crossed his arms and furrowed his brow. "At least I didn't get the icky job. But… I'm not sure if that's good or bad…"

 **A/N: The next chapter might be the last chapter, but I'm not sure yet. This is turning to be a pretty good story, if I do say so myself.**


	5. Heartfelt Bonds

**A/N: So, this IS NOT the final chapter, because I wanted to add a few more characters. Plus, it felt like some of them weren't developed enough in my opinion.**

 **I don't own Kingdom Hearts**

 **The White Wayfinder**

 _Chapter V_

Heartfelt Bonds

Aqua and Roxas were sitting on top of their usual spot, the clock tower and enjoying their ice cream. They were looking out over the horizon, watching the unusually red sun peek over it. Both of them were happier than they usually were. Aqua finally remembered her purpose in her rather sad and bothered life. Roxas wasn't exactly happy with his non-existence, but he was just glad to have Aqua and Axel as friends. Well there was _her…_ but she was missing for weeks now.

Aqua finished off her ice cream and got to her feet. Roxas looked at her with confused eyes. "Come on! I want to show you something!" Aqua said enthusiastically. "B-But I have to…" Roxas started. In the past weeks the place he called a 'home' was becoming unbearable to even set foot in. There was some sort of unfriendly tension that drifted in the air at the castle. Roxas finally shook his head. "Alright, but where is it?" He said getting onto his feet. Aqua just smirked in reply and held her finger up to her mouth. "It's a secret." Roxas couldn't help but laugh at her comment.

Aqua and Roxas were walking through the streets of the quiet town. Even though Roxas has been coming to this town for almost a year, he never wandered outside of Market Street. Roxas was just following Aqua since she must know the way to… wherever they were going. "It should be down this road…" Aqua said. The closer and closer they got Roxas realized they were going outside of the town. _Wait… you can go OUTSIDE of the town?_ Roxas asked himself _What else am I missing out on?_

Just as they were about to leave, Aqua heard a small whisper. She looked over her shoulder to see nothing but she could still hear it. "Roxas keep going. I'll catch up with you." She said. Roxas looked up at her like she was crazy, but he nodded and kept walking onto the dirt path that led outside of the city. Aqua looked at her surroundings with unsure, but alert eyes. "Who's out there?" She asked. Aqua turned to see a figure in a black coat. Not again. This one was different, though. This figure had a smaller build than Roxas, and she was shorter too. She didn't give off any sort of uncomfortable vibe like all of the other hooded figures did too.

"I'm not like the others." Her quiet voice said. Aqua lowered her guard, but not by much. "Who are you?" Aqua asked in an equally hushed voice. The girl began to walk closer to Aqua so that they were in reach of each other. "I'm… the other one." She said. Is this the girl that Axel and Roxas always talk about? Aqua has only heard her name mentioned a few times so she was still a little unsure of her name. "Wait… are you… Xion?" Aqua asked. The hooded girl nodded as she removed the hood that obscured her face.

Xion had ebony black hair that was parted to the side and deep crystal blue eyes. She actually looked almost identical to a little girl Aqua met once in a different world. How could that be? Or _is_ this the girl she met before? "Hello, Aqua" She said.

Aqua smiled at Xion "Hello…" She added. "Aqua… you're friends with Roxas… right?" she asked staring contently at the ground. Aqua nodded "Well I think you are too, aren't you?" Xion simply shrugged at her question "I don't know. I don't know anything about myself anymore." She said sadly "I'm… special… Roxas is too. In a way I suppose."

"What do you mean?" Aqua asked out of curiosity. Xion lifted her gaze from the ground and looked at Aqua's face. "Roxas in a way… was one of the biggest Nobodies of them all." She stated. "I don't know much about Roxas, but I do know that he's a special Nobody. He can coexist with his whole self… his Somebody. When Roxas first came into this world, he didn't have any memories. Not even memories on how to feel. This was all because his Somebody was still whole, in a way. Over time he discovered these emotions, without needing a memory." Aqua looked at Xion with confused eyes. "Then how are you special, Xion?"

Xion's eyes drifted away from aqua and back at the ground. "I'm not exactly sure… but I know I'm emptier than a Nobody. I'm still finding things that make more questions than answers about who I am." Xion began to fold her hands together. "But I do know that I need to go back… to where I belong." Xion shook her head like she began to change the subject.

"I know who's in Castle Oblivion." Xion said. Aqua looked at her in surprise. "Y-you mean Ventus?" She asked. Xion nodded her head again "Yes. These memories that have been given to me showed him to me… In more ways than one." She said as she lightly touched her own cheek. "He's closer to waking up than you think." Xion added. Aqua dropped her jaw in excitement. She took a firm hold on Xion's shoulders "R-Really!?" She asked. "Yes… but…" Xion continued "Neither him, or Roxas's Somebody can wake up… as long as I'm around."

Aqua closed her eyes. She wanted her friends back more than anything, but did that mean Xion had to…? Aqua shivered at this morbid thought. She slowly let go of Xion's shoulders and sighed.

"Can you promise me something, Aqua?" Xion asked. Aqua smiled. "Of course. Anything." Xion took in a long breath and sighed. "Will you look after Roxas… when I… leave?" Xion tried to make her words shroud the truth behind her meaning of 'leaving' but Aqua knew exactly what she meant. "Yes." Aqua said. Xion gave a weak smile "Thank you." She said as she walked past Aqua. "Where are you going to go?" Aqua asked. Xion briefly stopped to turn and look at Aqua. "I'm going to find someone who can help me vanish." She said bluntly. "Now go. Catch up with Roxas."

Aqua nodded and ran in the opposite direction of Xion to find Roxas. The dirt path she was on cut a distinct line through the rolling hills with long green grass. Aqua scanned the path for Roxas, as she finally found him close to their destination. Aqua finally caught up to Roxas. "What was that about?" Roxas asked. Aqua didn't feel like she could reveal the truth about her talk with Xion, so she just shrugged. "I forgot something." She stated.

The rest of the walk was relatively quiet until they got to their destination; the beach, the same beach that Aqua made the Wayfinder for Roxas. "Wow…" Roxas said scanning the beach below him. His eyes sparkled as he started to get captivated by the scene. "C'mon!" He said before he began to run down to the shoreline. Aqua quickly chased after him giggling at how excited Roxas got. She caught up to Roxas, who was now at the shoreline. "This is… amazing!" Roxas exclaimed.

Roxas and Aqua spent hours at the beach talking, laughing and basically all the usual stuff they do. Eventually, they settled themselves on the sandy ground by the ocean. Aqua was sitting next to Roxas with her arms wrapped around her legs and had her head resting on her knees. "Hey, Roxas?" Aqua said to get his attention. Roxas looked over at Aqua "What's up?" he replied. "You're a… Nobody, right?" Aqua asked for confirmation. Roxas looked back at the ocean in front of them. "Yeah, but the others, like Axel say I'm different." Aqua already knew about his past, but she wanted to hear it again, to make sure Xion wasn't lying. "Really… How?" Roxas sighed and scratched his head and smiled. "I was like a zombie. I didn't have any memories of my past self. I didn't even know what a heart was. Weird, right?" he said, looking back at Aqua. She smirked at his comment. "Yeah, that is pretty strange." Roxas put a hand up to his chest covering his Wayfinder. "Then how did I learn about all these emotions? Did I just learn them from the others or… Nah, never mind." Aqua turned her body to face Roxas. "What is it?" Roxas chuckled "It's nothing. Really." He said defensively. "Oh come on!" Aqua said playfully.

Soon after their conversation, Roxas got to his feet and brushed the sand off of him. "Are you going?" Aqua asked. Roxas nodded. "They probably won't be very happy with me." He said. "See you later, then?" Aqua asked as she got to her feet. "Yep, I'll see you soon." With that, Roxas vanished into a dark portal. When Roxas got back to the castle he was walking down the halls to get to his room. He had a warm feeling inside of his chest that kept him happy. "Roxas," a deep voice called. Roxas turned around to see Xemnas standing at the end of the hall. "I believe it is time you took action."

 **A/N: Like I said, this IS NOT the last chapter. In fact I'm not sure when the last chapter will come along, but whatever!**


	6. Goals and Consequences

**A/N: I think this is the best chapter I've written for this so far.**

 **I don't own Kingdom Hearts**

 **The White Wayfinder**

 _Chapter VI_

Goals and Consequences

Roxas sat at the foot of his bed. The white sheets and blankets were neatly made with few wrinkles and other imperfections. The black symbol of his nature made the headrest along with a few other intricate designs. Roxas was looking over the Wayfinder that Aqua, one of his best friends made for him. They've only known each other for almost three weeks now, but it feels like they've known each other for years. _Unbreakable connection, huh?_ Roxas thought to himself.

All that he could think about was the rather unpleasant conversation he had with his boss, Xemnas. It was on the first day Aqua came back into the light. Roxas stood in the dull glow that the skyscraper behind him provided. It began to rain again, as it usually did, but Roxas didn't care. Out of the murky darkness was his boss, Xemnas. He could hardly believe what he was saying. Did he really just order him to do something that cruel? "No, no, no! I won't do it! I can't do that to her!" Roxas said in protest as he shook his head. "Sleep has befallen you many times before. I would hate to see it happen to you again… but only in a different manner." Xemnas said with a threatening tone in his voice. Roxas's eyes widened in the sudden realization of what he meant. "So… you'll turn me into a Dusk if I don't." He said, dropping his shoulders in defeat "Fine! I'll do it!" he walked past Xemnas and into the darkness "Please… just give me time." With that statement, he let a black portal consume him.

As time went on, he only realized it would hurt more once he began. He was running out of time. He knew Xemnas was getting impatient, and his punishment would be ensued if he didn't get it done. Roxas's fingers wrapped around the star as he let out a trembling sigh. A knock came from his bedroom door. The door creaked open to reveal Axel was on the other side.

"So you're really gonna do it?" Axel asked reluctantly. Roxas simply nodded to his question "What choice do I have? Maybe I just shouldn't have bothered with her." Roxas said. Axel sighed and sat next to Roxas. "Nah… I actually think you saved her to tell you the truth. If you hadn't come around, you would have known her, but she would probably have had an X in her name." Axel explained. Roxas's eyes widened at Axel's statement. Somehow, that didn't seem to help Roxas one bit. I messed up, didn't I?" Roxas asked. Axel rubbed the back of his head "Well we all do from time to time." Roxas nodded again and stood up. He put the Wayfinder around his neck. "I guess it's time to stop making excuses." Roxas said in a strong tone. He began to leave his bedroom when Axel stopped him by placing a hand on his shoulder. "I know what you're feeling." Roxas shook his hand off "No. No you don't."

Aqua looked down at the large city like she usually did. She was leaning on the railing that went around the stone plaza in front of the train station. She held her Wayfinder in her hand. These last few weeks were amazing. Maybe it's just because she's been gone from the Light for far too long, or maybe it's because of her friends: Axel and Roxas. Of course, she didn't forget about her other friends, Terra and Ventus. I guess she has Xemnas to thank for thinking of them so fondly for the last week.

The town seemed quieter than usual, but Aqua didn't care about it too much. There were a lot less trains too. It's almost like it was ghost town all of a sudden. The sun's rays were quite a bit brighter than usual, but that's just a plus for Aqua. Out of the quietness, the familiar sound of a portal opening and closing caught her attention.

Aqua turned around to see Roxas standing in front of the steps to the station. "Roxas?" she asked. Unlike all the other times, Roxas's hood was covering his face, and he was silently standing there and staring at the ground. Aqua began to approach him. "Roxas?" she asked again. Roxas held out his hand to stop her. She obliged, and stopped around the center of the plaza.

After what seemed like hours of silence, Roxas sighed. He took his eyes off of the ground and directed them towards Aqua. "I'm… really sorry… Aqua." He said in a hushed and trembling voice. "Sorry? Sorry for what?" Aqua asked in a comforting voice. "My boss is making me do this…" Roxas held out his right arm, and a flash of light soon followed. Roxas was holding a weapon with a square guard colored gold. The grip was black leather and the rest past the guard was silver. A Keyblade. Roxas dropped the Keyblade to his side. "Roxas… you have a Keyblade? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Forgive me…." He whispered. He rushed towards Aqua. Aqua instinctively summoned her Keyblade, and held it in front of her. The necks of their Keyblades clashed; causing sparks to fly in every direction. Roxas place his other hand on the grip of his to add pressure to his attack. "Roxas! What are you doing!?" Aqua said while successfully pushing him away. Roxas landed on his feet several yards away from Aqua. He didn't let up on his assault as he rushed Aqua again. Aqua dodged his attack, but he quickly rebounded by swinging his Keyblade to his left.

Aqua guarded attack and pinned his weapon to the ground. Roxas tried to pull his Keyblade from hers, but he quickly saw it wouldn't work. "Roxas, Stop!" Aqua pleaded. Her plea fell onto deaf ears as Roxas somersaulted over Aqua, releasing his Keyblade. Roxas was facing Aqua's back as he thrusted his weapon towards her to no avail. She quickly spun around and deflected his with her own. Roxas kept up his unrelenting attack as their Keyblades clashed. Aqua refused to attack back, because she didn't want to hurt her friend. Unfortunately, something in Aqua began to unwind, as Aqua swung her weapon at Roxas with all the strength she could muster. Aqua was thankful that Roxas managed to block her attack.

The wielders stood in their place motionless, as they were both surprised Aqua even attempted to harm Roxas. Once Roxas continued the fight, she finally realized that she needed to fight back. Aqua mimicked Roxas's actions from earlier, and rushed him. Roxas was almost knocked off his feet when Aqua began an assault of her own. His defenses weren't good enough as she broke his balance. Aqua took this opportunity to strike Roxas by hitting his jaw with her Keyblade, which sent him soaring into the air.

Roxas landed near the entrance of the plaza and his Keyblade followed suit. Roxas hissed in pain as he slowly got to his feet. He balanced himself as he picked up his weapon. He stood there swaying while holding his Keyblade backwards. Aqua's eyes began to widen. How could she be so dense? It took her _this_ long to realize that? Roxas and Ventus- they look exactly the same! "Ven…?" she asked while she slowly approached him. Roxas snapped out of his stupor and removed his hood. "What is everyone's deal!? I'm ROXAS!" He said shouting at Aqua.

Roxas adjusted his grip on his weapon so it was being held in the right manner. Aqua stopped her walk towards Roxas and readied herself. Roxas clenched his hands as he began to growl. "Stop fighting! You're just making this harder for the both of us!" He suddenly shouted. "Ven- I mean… Roxas… why are you doing this?" She asked while she wiped her tears from her eyes. "SHUT UP!" Roxas yelled. He lunged forwards and managed to graze Aqua's shoulder. She recoiled from the sudden pain as Roxas managed to strike her chest.

Aqua jumped back and held up her Keyblade ready for Roxas's next attack. He ran towards Aqua ready to strike her again. An arc of lightning flashed from the end of Aqua's weapon. Roxas stopped and held his Keyblade in front of him. The lightning connected with his Keyblade, but it acted as a conductor and let the lightning arc into his chest hurting him, and the Wayfinder it struck. Roxas stood in his place to let the electricity course through him. After the lightning dissipated, he stood there out of breath. He dropped his Keyblade and buried his face in his hands. "What am I doing?" He asked himself.

Aqua approached Roxas with her Keyblade in her hand. "Roxas… What made you do… this?" she asked. Roxas dropped his hands to his side. "Xemnas…" He answered plainly. Aqua furrowed her brow _Maybe Terra really is gone_ she thought. "I… I had no choice! I had to do this or he would…" Roxas shook his head so those painful memories couldn't worm their way inside his head. "I have to. He knows you're here in the Light. He _always_ will."

Aqua closed her eyes and assessed her situation. She opened her eyes slowly opened them with a sudden sadness. "Roxas," Aqua said as she made her Keyblade vanish. "I think we both know what you have to do." Roxas looked up at her with wide and crying eyes. "B-But…" Roxas finally broke down "But that means I won't be able to see you again!" Aqua let tears roll down her cheeks. She couldn't bear to see a friend in that much pain. She put her hand on Roxas's shoulder. Roxas looked up at her. She offered a weak smile "Unbreakable connection, right?" she said as she held up a blue star. Roxas began to examine his own, as he let out a small gasp. The star had several small cracks in the shells. One of the shells had a small chunk missing. The leather X had blackened borders and the rest of the X was a darker shade of brown.

"Should we get going?" Aqua asked. Roxas gave a shaky sigh before he nodded his head. He held up his arm and opened a dark portal. Both Aqua and Roxas walked into it as it closed behind them.

She was back. The warmth quickly faded from her body to be replaced by an almost unbearable chill. Her eyes had to adjust to how dark her new surroundings were. The Realm of Darkness. Aqua sighed when she saw the not-so-missed realm in front of her. Roxas was behind her staring at the ground in shame. Aqua sat down at the nearby cliff face. She looked back at Roxas as she patted the ground next to her, inviting him. He accepted it and sat next to her. They sat in silence for a long time before Roxas cleared his throat. "This is going to be the last time we're together like this, isn't it?" he asked fearing the answer. "Yeah. At least for a while." She said.

Roxas stood up and sighed "The Organization isn't going let me off easily. I'm… so sorry." He said. He began to walk away from the cliff face. "Roxas." He turned around to see Aqua on her feet facing him. "I don't hate you for doing this, if that's what you think." She said. Roxas sighed inwardly in relief. Roxas's arms wrapped around Aqua. "Thank you." He said. Aqua smiled in response. Roxas let go of Aqua and opened a portal. He took one final look at Aqua before he stepped into the portal. It quickly snapped shut, sealing Aqua in this dreadful realm. Aqua closed her eyes as her smile quickly faded. "Stay safe, Roxas."

In the Realm of Light, Roxas emerged from a portal in the plaza where he lost his friend. Above him on the clock tower was a hooded man watching. He snickered at Roxas's clearly distressing situation. "It is done." He said in a monotone voice. He quickly vanished afterwards.

The hooded man appeared in the same room where he was ordered to watch Aqua and Roxas. Axel, Xigbar, and Xemnas were already present waiting for the man's report. "He has taken care of the girl." He stated. Axel's eyes dropped to the floor. "Excellent. In what manner?" Xemnas asked. "He simply back where rightfully belongs." The man said. Xemnas nodded at the man. "Disappointing; Roxas didn't fulfill our goal after all." He said. "Ah c'mon, give the kid a break. His time's almost up anyways." Xigbar stated. Xemnas nodded again. "Yes… he is no longer useful to us. The puppet shall be his… replacement." Xemnas turned his cold gaze to Axel. "You know what to do." Axel sighed. "Man you love saving all these icky jobs for me, don't you?" He said as he vanished in a dark haze. "Well it's been fun," Xigbar said. "Make sure you tell me when something like this pops up. That light show was pretty fun to watch. I'm actually _surprised_ that Axel brought her to us." He vanished in the same manner Axel did. Xemnas was about to follow their actions. "Lord Xemnas," The hooded figure said as he removed his hood.

Xemnas looked at the man. "What is it you require, Saix?" he asked. "Regarding the girl," he started. "Why were you so fixated on her memories?" he asked. "In one of my past lives, I remember a boy who was very dear to me. As she plunged herself into the depths of the Darkness, her memories began to fade as time progressed. As they faded, so did the boy's chances of waking from his comatose. I simply revived the memories, in hope of reviving him as well." Xemnas explained. Saix mulled over what his superior explained. "Then why order Roxas to destroy her?" he asked. Xemnas chuckled as the question. "I believe those are the actions my _other_ past. With her annihilation both her, and the boy would no longer pose a threat in the distant future." He said. "Enough with this. Go. We must prepare our Kingdom Hearts." Saix nodded and vanished.

Xemnas rested his elbow on the arm rest of his chair as he stroked his chin. He was conflicted. On one hand, he was glad Roxas spared her life and merely sent her back into Darkness. On the other he was furious with Roxas for not ending the girl's life. The memories she regained would only add to the pain of her own demise. After contemplating this, Xemnas furrowed his brow. Conflicted? Glad? Furious? These are words that are linked to emotion. Unless…

Xemnas clutched his fist to his chest. Oh yes. His promise finally came through; A heart of pure Darkness.

 **A/N: I don't know if this came out as expected, or obvious. Oh well. The Next chapter or two might be about Roxas from all the games he was in after his little experience with Aqua.**


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